What is the difference between TLS and mTLS connections?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a protocol that provides a secure connection between a client and a server, where the server is authenticated using a certificate. The client verifies the server's authenticity but does not provide a certificate itself.

mTLS (mutual TLS) is an extension of TLS where authentication is mutual: both the server and the client present their certificates and verify each other. This increases security because both parties confirm each other's authenticity.

Example:

• TLS: the client connects to the server, verifies the server's certificate.
• mTLS: the client and server exchange certificates and verify them, establishing a trusted bidirectional connection.